VINCENT: JOIN ME TO TACKLE HOMELESS CRISIS
FOOTBALL LEGEND TO RAISE CASH FOR MAYOR’S ROUGH-SLEEPING CRUSADE
BIG-HEARTED City captain Vincent Kompany has pledged to donate all profits from his testimonial season to help the city’s homeless.
The M.E.N. can reveal the 32-yearold has been so touched by the crisis on the city’s streets that he wants cash raised to make sure every rough sleeper has a bed this winter.
Kompany, a respected figure who joined the Blues ten years ago before Sheikh Mansour took over the club, has joined forces with Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who has previously vowed to end rough sleeping in Manchester by 2020.
The pair – backed by the M.E.N. – have set up Tackle4MCR and Kompany has promised all the proceeds from his testimonial, minus the running costs, will go to the fund, with the first cash going to providing beds for rough sleepers this winter.
And they want other benefactors similarly touched by the crisis to dig into their pockets and help out.
At a launch event at Manchester House Andy Burnham and Vincent Kompany described ‘Tackle4MCR’ as a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to inspire social change. And they urged those ‘with a big heart for Manchester and the means to make a difference’ to become gold or platinum partners of Tackle4MCR, with some businesses and individuals already lining up to join the scheme. The benefactors will sign up to a series of activities across the season including a gala dinner, a ‘#footballFriday’ campaign and an initiative to raise awareness about rough sleeping among school kids. The cam-
paign will culminate in a testimonial gala match at the Etihad stadium after the 2018/19 season has finished.
All funds raised by Tackle4MCR, a limited company set up by Kompany and Burnham, will go to the mayor’s Homelessness Fund. The proceeds will go towards the mayor’s ambition of ensuring every rough sleeper has a bed every night of this coming winter.
Speaking after the Tackle4MCR launch Vincent, who was born in Belgium but ‘made in Manchester,’ said: “I’ve received much from Manchester: a great career at the highest level, unconditional support from the fans through thick and thin, a lovely family and so much more to be grateful for. Over the past decade I’ve been lucky to have witnessed and played a part in Manchester City’s rise as a club and a brand. This has also run parallel alongside the rise of a whole region.
“However, with this spectacular rise, comes a very visible downside: more and more people are left out of and have no access to the benefits of the rapid development, often leaving them no choice but to end up on the streets.”
“And this is why our Mayor Andy Burnham and I have launched Tackle4MCR, a movement that will stand on its own feet and one that can be successful if everyone plays a part.”